CNN SAYS: HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE? MORE SMALL BUSINESS JOBS GROWTH.

States and cities at the forefront of raising the minimum wage and establishing paid sick days standards also lead the nation in small business jobs

Seattle, WA – Today, CNNMoney reports that states and cities at the forefront of raising the minimum wage and establishing paid sick days standards also lead the nation in small business jobs growth, defying the conventional “wisdom” of big business lobbies.

Analyzing recent figures from payroll processor Paychex, CNNMoney reports “in Washington state, small businesses are adding jobs faster than any other state in the country… It's also the state where minimum wage, at $9.32 per hour, is the highest.”

San Francisco and Seattle – first in the country adopters of paid sick days laws and now leading the nation with $15 minimum wage proposals – topped the list for strongest small business jobs performance at the municipal level.

“I’m not surprised,” said Makini Howell, owner of Plum Restaurants in Seattle and a leader with the Main Street Alliance. “Raising the minimum wage and establishing paid sick days standards are economy-boosting policies. I expanded my business and created more jobs after Seattle’s paid sick days law went into effect. I’ll do the same after we pass the Mayor’s $15 minimum wage plan. No, Chicken Little, the sky is not falling. The economy grows from the bottom up, not the top down.”

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has proposed a plan to raise the minimum wage to $15. Under his plan, large businesses would reach a $15 minimum wage more quickly. Small businesses would have a longer phase-in period, providing time to steadily realize the benefits of increased consumer demand.

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The Main Street Alliance is a network of state and locally based small business coalitions. The Main Street Alliance and its state affiliates create opportunities for small business owners to speak for themselves on issues that impact their businesses and local economies.